, polar solvent at a temperature of about 110??? Celsius to about the reflux temperature of the reaction medium, in the presence of an alkali metal base selected from an alkali metal hydroxide and alkali metal carbonate in a molar ratio of alkali metal base: phenol compound of greater than about 1.0 to about 4.0 when X is hydrogen and greater than about 0 to about 3.0 when X is an alkali metal.